Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-12-23
"FOOL JIM"

HOoi VIM, a. the DoJS MIN at
school-and the epithet chung to him-did, in
popular Judgment, the most silly things, and
yet prospered. AT school he was noted for
his folly as well as for pluck and GOODNESS If
a big boy maltreated a little one, instead Of
minding his own business, as a sensible boy
should, Fool Jim would take it up and thrash
the bully
When that wretched little Dick Greene, the
son of old Corney Greene, a sort of odd Job
man about town, broke his leg by a fall from
a cherry tree, Fool Jim used to go around
and cheer up the little brat, and spend his
pocket money, of which he had plenty, for
Dicks benefit. All the leading big boys of
the school thought him fool, but no one
dared tell him so. for, though he was not
quarrelsome, he was quick to resent an in
suit, and was tough customer in a rough
and tumble fight
Foljambe left school for an academy where
they prepared boys for college, and went
afterward to college. / left it at the same
time to become under salesman and general
drudge i'll the grocery shop of Figgs & Gal
chieze. j lost sight of him then, except ut
vacations, until he was graduated and had
come home. His father, confirmed invalid,
was very rich, and made great fuss over
him when he returned, and was very proud
of the fact that Jim was at the head of his
tAtoS 1uele WIS ITO UOnSel1Se ABOUT jim, L
must say He remembered all his old school
mates, and put on no airs. He would come
into our shop at ali times and talk with me
when was not busy, and as he would be
very rich in time, old Eggs, though lie did
keep his peoples hoses close to the grindstone
never grumbled at it.
Not that Jim an idler. He took a vast
feal off his siclSly fathers hands in managing
the large plantation. No little job that was,
either. Foljambe place embraced over 300
acres, and with tue exception of 100 acres of
woodland, and about 300 of pasture and
meadow. was closely cultivated There was
fine herd of Jersey cattle, then coming
INTO vogue, and over forty blooded horses,
besides others for plow and wagon.
For four years there was nothing worthy of
note, except that got to be head salesman and
sort of general manager in our concern
which, considering my age, was a big lift for
ME. But old Foljambe died at this time. and
as James was motherless and an only son he
succeeded to the property. Then began the
follies of this son, which made talk for the
country around for years.
The first exhibition was in the matter Of
the Peabody mortgage. There had been two
Peabody brothers, Nathan and David: but
David, the younger one, on his fathers death
had taken 81 900 in cash for his share, and
gone OFF TO Mexico to seek his fortune He
was not heard of afterward, and was believed
TO be dead. Nathan stayed on the old place
He was shiftless man, and though he mar
ried Ben MERITS daughter, who was a tidy
housewife and prudent woman, he could
not get along. The farm was pretty well
worn out and he did not improve it at oil
The crops grew less and less and Nathan
grew crop of debt. To wipe that out he
borrowed another 81 900 on bond and mort
gage from tue same party who held the first
mortgage to raise David's money Things
grew worse, and at last the interest remained
unpaid for two years and proceedings were
taken to foreclose the mortgage Nathan
took sick over it and died. The doctor said
it was typhoid fever. but every one thought
it was the trouble and that Nathan had given
up the ghost because he could not face his
difficulties. AT all events, he died, leaving
his widow with one child, girl of "a She
was very pretty-the image of her father
and all the Peabodys were fine looking PEG
pie; hut she had her mothers ways
Everybody pitied the widow, for it was
well understood that the farm would bring
no more than the debt and law expenses;
III fact, that the mortgage would be obliged
to buy it i'll. With the exception of one spot,
the farm was worn out sandy loan, over
run with sedge grass, the sign of sterility.
The exception was a hill, covering about
forty-two acres, apparently composed of a
tough, gravelly clay, unfit for even brick
making, and incapable of cultivation To be
sure, the five acres around the house, which
was ut one end of the place, had been used as
vegetable garden, and that was in a little
better order. 1t was sorry piece of nrorartv
SO when sale day came, and bappenad to h.,
over at the country town. dropped into the
court house where the sheriff was to sell
found only half dozen persons, and one of
these was oljambe and another was Pbinns
who held the mortgage.
The sheriff, taking that every one knew the
place, which had been with the Peabodys for
over 100 years, asked for II bid. The amount
against the property, including the legal
costs, was S2,SSt Phipps put that in as a
bid, but remarked that he didn't want it at
any price. and any one advancing on that
might have it.
"That leaves nothing for the widow OBJ
served Foljambe.
Suppose you bid more, then. on her ac-
count said Phipps
~ shall, replied Foljambe; "S3, 500"
as that your bid, Mr.. Foljambe7" inquired
the sheriff.
"That is my bid, sir"
So the farm was knocked down to him.
When we were coming away Foljambe said
to me:
COREY, you go past the Peabody farm on
your way home. l wish you'd stop and tell
Mrs. Peabody that the place has brought
over 81 200 more than the debt, and she must
take out letters of administration. And tell
her for me not to think OF moving Sic can
have the house and the garden around 1t free
of rent. She's shifty woman. and with that
start she'll get along"
1 felt that Foljambes conduct was through
an impulse OF generosity which he could well
afford. But tho general verdict was that he
was a fool. Fad he bid hundred over
Phipps, or even two hundred, it might have
passed, but to throw away-absoutely throw
away-Sl 200! When they heard afterward
that he had given the widow life estate in
the house aud garden it was generally agreed
that he should have guardian over him to